Shouta Aizawa

With his head lowered as though to mantle his blank visage in shadow, Todoroki shambled over to the sofa. However, his right cheek was bruised, and his legs violently shook.

"Nothing," Todoroki mumbled, but he grimaced as he sat down on the sofa.

Bakugou twisted his expression into a wry lour. "Your fucking cheek is bruised, you can't walk right, and you left last night without warning," he snarled before wincing and pressing his digits to his forehead.

"I'm fine," Todoroki insisted as he opened his notebook and began flipping through its pages. "Even if I wasn't, why would you care?" His brumal words chilled the air.

Aizawa's expression wilted with dubiety and bemusement as he thought to himself, Was he in a fight? If so, with who, and why? He espied Bakugou.

"Tch. Where did you run off to?" Bakugou grumbled while crossing his legs and rolling his shoulders.

For a moment, Todoroki was silent. "Rui wanted to see me, but…he would never hurt me. I went to his place for a few hours. Then, I walked around outside for a while. A drunk man tripped over his feet and brought me down with him. It's…just an embarrassing truth." The cadence of his breaths remained the same, and his expression did not waver.

Bakugou's expression soured like a grape shriveling up in the sun. "Oh, so you ditched me to go be with your boyfriend? Rui fucking Higoro. What the hell does he even have that I don't?!" His fists trembled, and his knuckles almost appeared to have been dipped in a white paste tinged with pink.

Rui Higoro? Aizawa cerebrated. Perhaps it would be unprofessional to do some searching around for information on his relationship with Todoroki, but I don't think I believe Todoroki's story. To have bruised his cheek and injured his legs in some way, he would have had to land in quite the position to make that possible. Under the assumption that his story is fake, he now has a mystery injury. How did he get it? Who hurt him? Why?

Todoroki did not respond, so Bakugou continued, growling, "You aren't even happy with him, are you?! Unless you were just lying to me about being happy at all. You're a stoic person, but ever since you've been with him, you've been so fucking cold and aloof." His cheeks were licked with a fiery pink, and his brows were wet with a mixture of curdled emotions.

"You're still holding on to our relationship?" Todoroki closed his eyes, and a moment after opening them, he murmured, "Don't let this get to your head, but…I never wanted to leave you. That's all I can say. I know you're desperate, so I'm sure you can put the pieces together. Talk to me about this then."

Deep down, I truly do believe Bakugou cares about Todoroki. From what I've gathered, it sounds like he's jealous of Todoroki's relationship with Rui Higoro. I think he's confused and angry as to why Todoroki cheated on him with someone that he believes is inferior to him or anything he had with Todoroki. His resolve to gouge out the truth from Todoroki is clear.

As a deluge of silence cascaded from a void of stillness, Aizawa cleared his throat. "Did you both discuss what I asked of you two?" He glimpsed from Todoroki's bruised cheek to Bakugou's shaking hands.

"No," Todoroki admitted.

"Then discuss it now," Aizawa replied.

Todoroki nodded. "What was the most difficult thing for you yesterday and this week, Bakugou?" His soft, sonorous voice was like a sheet of velvet.

The ash-blonde scrunched his brows a bit and scoffed, "This week? Being forced into this goddamn part of the course. Yesterday? Being forced to live with Icyhot." He clicked his tongue and switched which leg was crossed over the other. "Your turn, Icyhot." He winced again.

"Both from this week and yesterday would be what happened last night. Ah. What was the best thing that happened?"

"Tch. Nothing."

Aizawa sighed, "Pick a positive from this week, Bakugou."

"I…" Bakugou began to move his hands to crack his knuckles, but he withdrew his hands and curled them into fists. "I don't fucking know, and that's that. Icyhot." He almost seemed to be cognizant of his own breaths as he inhaled and exhaled slowly.

Did he panic? Aizawa couldn't help but wonder. He looks like he's trying to appear calm, but his eyes are wide, and he stopped himself from cracking his knuckles. I don't think I've seen him forcibly stop that habit until I mentioned it.

"I remembered some of my good childhood memories with Mom and Fuyumi," Todoroki answered while his eyes drooped in thought. "We made pancakes together, and…" Although his expression had softened a bit, he blinked, and the vestiges of any emotion on his countenance were washed away. "Never mind. It's not important."

A pang of pain jolted through Aizawa's chest from hearing Todoroki's somber words. "I'm interested." His mien remained neutral, but he couldn't deny that he was discountenanced by Todoroki's final statements.

Todoroki shook his head. "It would just be a waste of time. I'm ready to start the lesson." He glimpsed over at Bakugou, who wore quite the dour expression.

So he doesn't think the good moments in his life are worth anyone's time to hear? "Bakugou?" Aizawa observed how Bakugou flinched and inhaled sharply. "Is something the matter?" Solace softened his steely words.

"No. Just… Yeah. Start the lesson." Superficial conviction laced Bakugou's voice.

What is going on behind their facades? Aizawa cogitated while sighing heavily. I'm far more concerned about their well-being than this project. How and why was Todoroki injured? What triggers what I deduce is Bakugou's anxiety? Why does Bakugou seem to be out of it today? Both of them are suffering. How can I influence them to naturally save each other? Bakugou, Todoroki… Soon, I want to bring up the poem I found to them. Assuming one of them wrote it, will they admit it?